New Sleep Guidelines for Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics is backing new sleep guidelines for babies, school-age children, and teens developed by a consensus group of 13 sleep medicine experts and researchers. Among the new recommendations: Infants 4 to 12 months need 12 to 16 hours of sleep every 24 hours (including naps); children 1 to 2 years old need 11 to 14 hours of sleep every 24 hours (including naps); children 3 to 5 years need 10 to 13 hours of sleep every 24 hours (including naps); children 6 to 12 years need 9 to 12 hours of sleep every 24 hours; and teens 13 to 18 years old need 8 to 10 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Kids who get the recommended hours of sleep for their age on a regular basis are likely to see benefits including better attention spans, memory, behavior, and overall quality of life, said Dr. Lee Brooks, an attending pulmonologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the consensus group.

Another expert, Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson from Seattle Children's Hospital and The Everett Clinic, told CBS News that the majority of teens, especially, "don't get the sleep they need. The National Sleep Foundation has found that over 85 percent of teens lack adequate sleep. Sleep matters: deprivation and tiredness affect schoolwork, attention, mood, interactions, unhealthy weight risk and lifelong health habits."